The Coming Conquest of England eBook

IV

THE CIRCASSIAN BEAUTY

Captain Heideck’s statement that he travelled
for a Hamburg firm was not really an untruth.
As a matter of fact he was engaged in commercial undertakings,
which served as a cloak for the real object of his
travels.

He had been commissioned by the chief of the General
Staff to study the Indian military organisation, and,
in particular, the strategic importance of the North-west
frontier, and for this purpose unlimited leave had
been granted him.

But the General had expressly stated to him—­

“You travel as a private gentleman, and should
you come into conflict with the English, we shall
in no manner accept responsibility for your actions
and adventures. We furnish you with a passport
in your own name, but, of course, without denoting
your military rank. It is also a matter of course
that we should not fail to disclose it in case inquiries
are addressed to us in this regard. In a certain
sense you may be said to travel at your own risk.
Your own tact must be your safest guide.”

Hereupon Heideck entered into correspondence with
his uncle, and received from him the necessary letters
of introduction to his Indian agents. He reached
the northern provinces by way of Bombay and Allahabad,
visiting on the way all the more important garrison
towns—­Cawnpore, Lucknow, Delhi, and Lahore.
After finishing his business in Chanidigot, his intention
was to proceed further north, making his way to Afghanistan
by way of the Khyber Pass. It was purely with
a view to this journey that he had wished to become
more intimate with the Russian. He was absolutely
certain that the Russian had received a commission
from his Government similar to his own, and certain
hints that the Prince had let drop strengthened his
opinion that the latter intended to take the same
route as himself. Accordingly, it could only
redound to the advantage of the German officer if he
joined his Russian comrade, who would be in a position
to procure him valuable introductions when once on
Russian territory.

When Heideck woke early the next morning the Prince’s
potent bowl of the evening before made itself perceptible
in various disagreeable after effects; but the cold
bath that Morar Gopal got ready for him, added to
a cup of tea, put him on his legs again.

It was an Indian morning of dazzling beauty into which
he stepped. February in the Indus Valley in 29
degrees longitude has a temperature like that of May
in Rome. In the hours of midday the thermometer
usually rises to 100 degrees Fahr.; but the evenings
are refreshingly cool, and the nights, with their
damp fogs, even appreciably chilly.

Heideck made his toilet on this morning with special
care, for he had been invited to a conference with
the Minister of the Maharajah, in order to negotiate
with him about some indigo business.